IXAT is not a Taxi Company

For our first two adventures in China, I thought the largest taxi company in Harbin was named the IXAT Taxi Company.

It is only recently that it dawned on me that IXAT is TAXI spelled backwards. On the drivers side door they have a decal that says TAXI but on the passenger side the decal reads from left to right IXAT. Who ever manufactured the decal thought it appropriate to reverse taxi when applying the decal to the other side of the vehicle. The newer taxis now have TAXI on both sides and thus the light came on. 

There are over 12,000 registered taxis with mispelled signage on the road in Harbin at any one time. The cost for travel by taxi is pretty reasonable compared to western costs. $8 Rmb for up to 3 kilometres. Our average cost to travel to most parts of Harbin is usually no more than 12 Rmb which is about $2.00 CAD.

Surprisingly, we tend to use the buses more often than taxis. The most compelling reason is that buses have to pick you up. Harbin, like most large cities, has rush hours in the morning and afternoon. Attempting to flag down a taxi during rush hour can be a long and frustrating experience.  During these periods, the taxis turn into mini-buses and drivers try to stuff as many passengers into the car as possible. They will pick you up as long as you are  going in the same direction as the other passengers already in the taxi. You only have a small window of opportunity to tell the driver where you are going before he drives off looking for another passenger to add to his car. My poorly pronounced Chinese makes it difficult to deliver  a quick and coherent destination to the driver and the taxi is gone before I can make a second attempt. Grrrrrr. If there are more than two of you, they won't even bother to stop and ask where you want to go making it necessary to hide some of your group and spring them on the driver once you have taken control of the back seat of the cab.  At least the bus must stop to let us on, but don't dilly dally and it only costs $1 Rmb. On the bus, you will however learn what it feels like to be a sardine packed in a tin can and marinating in a really funky smelling sauce.

The Volkswagon Jetta seems to be the predominate vehicle of choice for taxis. It is difficult to ascertain their model year as they all  seem to be stuck in the 80's as far as model styles go and I am sure they cannot be that old. They are not big cars but you can stuff up to four fairly large laowei (foreigners)  into them. But that is all, they will absolutely refuse to carry more than four.

There are other transportation options beside the bus or Jetta. Every neighbourhood has a fleet of jitneys circulating through them and are used for short trips around neighbourhood. The come in motorized and pedal styles. Costs vary and must be clearly negotiated before the ride.  If you are considering hiring a pedal powered jitney, look for the lean, skinny senior citizen type drivers. Don't be fooled by the big burly guys as they are gutted by the first hill.

Another option is the motorcycle taxi, but it is good for only one passenger.  Don't be fooled by the smiles, the price must be negotiated before lift off and be prepared for the ride of your life.  You will get up to and close to buses, trucks, cars and sometimes pedestrians as you careen down sidewalks to avoid traffic jams. It is on my list of things to do when I don't care about my life anymore.


The bus system will continue to be our chief mode of transportation for the forseeable future.